I am deeply, madly in love with nature.Inspired by: the urge to garden.
For now, it's done. The 3 foot by maybe 4 foot patch of dirt by my door is manicured and beautified. Yes, it's the middle of July and yes, it took me that long to muster up the urge to do something with my patch of dirt. You would think being a floral designer, among other things, would grant me a gardener's heart and passion, but that is not the way of it. Perhaps until today.
By 7:45am, I was outside. Weeding, digging proper holes for the campanula bells stifling in pots, trimming pink geraniums, clipping overgrown leaves on yellow begonias, weeding some more and dragging a too-heavy-for-me bag of "black diamond" mulch to the patch. Pitted rocks were schlepped from one end of the yard over to the patch to ensure proper drainage on the right hand side. More weeding, generous fistfuls of mulch and finally, my makeshift container garden was a thing of beauty. To me.
Being a renter of my home and not an owner, I have spent little time considering the yard I see from my kitchen window. But the urge to garden and the pleasing result had me wandering around the perimeter of the yard. I weeded some more, apologizing to each struggling maple and walnut fledgling as I clipped them into oblivion. I cleared every twig off the lawn. I poked into corners. I planted a hydrangea bush along the neighbor's white picket fence. And in return for spending the time to beautify, my coffers were filled with secrets waiting to be discovered.
8 raspberries are growing in this rented yard! My favorite food on planet earth. 1 singular Indian paintbrush sensation has sidled up next to the clothesline post. Ruby red berries of bird-eating quality are dripping from the back corner bush. Pocketfuls of under-sized walnuts, pungent and intoxicating, have been bombed to the ground by the resident squirrels. And behind the pine trees where I had never looked before today, a voluminous tangle of blackberry vines! Sweet Jesus, I found me my own private heaven. Right here. Right now.
Today, I am an inspired gardener. Today, I got grounded. Today, Mother Nature stole my heart.
For more Inspire Me Mondays from people I adore, go HERE and scroll down.
Gardening is where I find God. And is much needed therapy! Even in our 100 degree days, I have a hard time staying out of the garden.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your space -
Kathy
I agree with Kathy. God is definately in the garden.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to find Zen there too :)
Beautiful photo's Graciel! Nature grounds us, uplifts us and heals us and nurtures us...spirit is indeed in the garden!
ReplyDeleteDelicious post... Nothing like a good communing with Mother Nature! We've been harvesting raspberries too...our two bushes are yielding such a lot of fruit this year. Happy Days :o)
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that WE seem to think we are separate from the natural world. We are a huge, integral part of the whole cycle and here you are bringing it towards yourself. I am glad you like the poetry book. Her descriptions are amazing. Enjoy Nature!
ReplyDeleteOddly enough one of my pregnancy cravings is to have a garden. I want to grow vegetables!!! Rather strange for me considering I've always had a black thumb that immediately makes any plant I come into contact with curl up and die; plus I don't actually have anywhere at the moment to plant anything. We're living in a third floor apartment. In a few months we may move ourselves into a rental house with some land but can you start a veggie garden in the Fall? Guess I will have to content myself with reading about other people's gardens. Maybe I should even pick up a few beginner gardening books. Then if I'm still feeling the gardening urge next spring I'll have a bit of knowledge to put behind it.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, every time I visit here I leave wanting to kick myself for not keeping up with my own photography recently. Your photos are so lovely and lush! I want to get my camera out and hit the woods & parks. It only lasts a moment though, then I just want a nap :). THe joys of first time pregnancy! I'm always sleepy.
There is so much joy and wonder to be found in Nature. I find it there nearly every day. I love the wonderful colors of your photos, Graciel.
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